East Sussex
Two Sussex Carpenters have swapped their white vans for bicycles to shed a few pounds and do their bit for the environment.
Toby Sendall and Mark Rolls, who are both key members of the Nutshell Construction team, now cycle 18 miles a day from Ditchling Road, Brighton to their latest project in Peacehaven.
Having both hit the age of 40, the two decided that riding bikes to and from the site would help them get fit AND do their bit for the environment.
Most of their journey is along cycle paths run by UK charity SusTrans, so the intrepid cyclists now make regular donations to help keep the routes in good order for generations to come.
Sustrans works with families, communities and partner organisations to ensure that people have the option of making healthier, cleaner and cheaper journeys.
Toby said: “There were two reasons to get out of my van and onto my bike. Firstly, with one two many bacon rolls, I’m not as lean and mean as I was in my 20’s and cycling is a great way to keep fit and doesn’t impact on my working day. Secondly, I love Sussex; this is a great way to see the towns and villages and to play a part in limiting the damage to the environment. Two chippies on their bikes may only be drop in the ocean, but if more people did the same, the roads would be less congested and the environment would be better too.”
Managing Director of Nutshell Construction, Ben Copper said: “It’s great to see the team getting involved in a project like this. We pride ourselves on being part of the community of Sussex and Toby and Mark both exemplify this with their cycling efforts. We are now exploring how we can make this type of scheme practical for the rest of the team”
Local carpenters Toby Sendall (left) and Mark Rolls swap their white van for two wheels.